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Russia Denies Discussing Oil Output Freeze With Saudi Deputy Crown Prince

© Sputnik / Maksim Blinov / Go to the mediabankAlexander Novak, Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation, during the Bloomberg Teledebates Shifting Landscape Ushers In A New Era For Global Oil And Gas Markets held at the 2015 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum
Alexander Novak, Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation, during the Bloomberg Teledebates Shifting Landscape Ushers In A New Era For Global Oil And Gas Markets held at the 2015 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum - Sputnik International
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Russia has not negotiated the proposed deal on freezing oil outputs with Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Salman bin Mohammed Al Saud, who is also the country’s defense minister, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said Wednesday.

Qatar's Minister of Energy and Industry Mohammed Saleh al-Sada (C),Saudi Arabia's minister of Oil and Mineral Resources Ali al-Naimi (C-L), Venezuela's minister of petroleum and mining Eulogio Del Pino (L), and Russia's Energy Minister Alexander Novak (C-R) attend a press conference on February 16, 2016 in the Qatari capital Doha - Sputnik International
Saudis Refuse to Work With Others, Blame Russia and Iran for Low Oil Prices
MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Sunday, energy ministers of oil producing states failed to agree on freezing oil output at January levels to shore up prices after Riyadh unexpectedly backed out of an all-but-certain agreement. The Saudi defense minister announced that his country would only sign the agreement if Iran, as well as other major oil producers, joins the deal.

"As for the negotiations, they are carried out, of course, at the ministerial level, we did not hold [talks] with the prince, who is also the defense minister,” Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak told Kommersant FM radio station.

According to Novak, the Russian side believed that Saudi Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ali Naimi “until the last moment expressed his leadership’s position that the deal would be agreed.”

Relations between the Sunni kingdom and Iran have been strained since early January when Riyadh severed diplomatic ties with Tehran over an attack on its embassy and consulate in Iran following the execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.

Saudi Arabia continues to insist that Iran, which only recently reappeared in the energy market after years of international sanctions, should be part of any production cuts.

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